Foot and/or footwear protector



Nov. 3, 1953 A. E. WINSLOW 2,657,477

FOOT AND/OR'FOOTWEAR PROTECTOR Filed March 18; 1952 Zinnentor 5 28 Arthur E. Winslow attorney;

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to coverings for the human foot for the protection of the foot or of footders or the like are formed, these tend to cause the liquid dropped thereon to accumulate at these ridges, shoulders or the like and i difficult to wipe off.

An important object of the invention is to provide a reinforced protector of this kind which is, however, so constructed that it is readily cleaned and is free of depressions or shoulders where liquid may accumulate.

Another important object is to provide a protector as described which has a one-piece body,

free of folded-over portions where liquids might accumulate.

A further important object is to provide a seamless and hemless protector of the kind described which is free of stitching, since thread 51 and the like is often readily severed by liquids,

such as acids.

Yet another important object is to eliminate the use of hems and the like, since folded-over portions of a flexible structure often render the article containing them less flexible so that they do not fit smoothly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this disclosure, and in which drawing:

Fig. l. is a perspective view of the new protector in use upon articles of footwear.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the new protector at the toe end thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections upon their respective lines of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the new protector.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of iilustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the new device and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates the new protector, and B and C articles of footwear.

The protector A comprises a one-piece or integral body It, detachable securing means II and detachable securing means I2.

Referring mainly to Fig. 5, the body I0 comprises a forward or toe portion I5, upper and instep-covering portion I6 extending therefrom, ankle covering portion I1 extending upwardly from the portion I6, shank strap I8 and heel strap It. The body portion I9 is a hardened plastic, preferably natural or synthetic rubber. A natural rubber of low sulphur content and vapor cured may be employed or a synthetic rubber as neoprene (The Merck Index, 6th edition, 1952, published by Merck & 00., Inc., Rahway, N. J.) or Vistanex (Handbook of Plastics by Simonds, Weith and Bigelow, second edition, 1949, published D. Van Norstrand Co., Inc., New York.) may be used. The rubber should be flexible, lightweight, but tough and resistant to extremes of temperatures and to chemicals. Obviously, in the special employment of the protector in industry where protection is desired from one or a group of chemicals, a resistant plastic will be selected most suitable for the specific use. The body is moulded to shape.

The toe portion I5 is best shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 and has a box-covering part 2!! and solecovering part 2| with the part of material thicker than the general thickness of the same material comprising the portions I6 to I9 inclusive, and the thickness of the material forming the sole-covering part 2I is thicker than the thickness of the part 20. For example, the thickness of the part 20 is preferably twice as thick as the general thickness of the body portion I 0 while the sole-covering part 2| is three times as thick as this general thickness. The part 2| may extend rearwardly for substantially two-andone-quarter inches and has a substantially straight rear edge 22. It is desirable that the toe portion of footwear be wholly covered by this toe portion I5.

As in Figs. 2 and 5, especially, the upper and instep-covering portion It extends from the sides and upper part of the toe portion I5 and is intended to hug the upper of the article of footwear both along the sides and top and extend around to the heel, with bottom edges and 26 and rear edges 2'! and 28 respectively, which join the edges 25 and 26 respectively.

If desired, the ankle-covering portion I1, which extends upwardly from the upper-covering portion It, may extend upwardly any desired distance and its rear edges are continuations of the edges 21 and 28. An upper or top edge 29 joins the upper ends of these continuations.

The shank strap i8 joins the edges 25 and 25 and is adapted to fit under the shank of the footwear of the wearer, while the heel strap [9 may extend from the edge 2'! with its longitudinal axis substantially normal to the edge 21.

Detachable securing means H is associated with the strap :9 and body l and may be a male snap fastener element 35 carried by the strap I9, and a suitable number of spaced-apart fe male snap fastener elements 35 carried by the body 10 and disposed substantially as in Fig. 5.

Means l2 to detachably secure the two edges 21 and 28 together to extend in abutting relationship or in spaced-apart relationship may be a suitable number of ties 42 extending through suitable openings 39 inwardly of one edge, as the edge 2'! and having ends, which are preferably provided with stiffened extremities 40 for easy insertion into suitable spaced apart openings 41 spaced inwardly of the other edge, as the edge 29, whereupon the ties 38 may be tied in bows.

Extending along the edges 25 to 29 inclusive is beading 45 to provide a rounded reinforcing for the edges and this beading is integral with the body l0; being a continuation of the material of the latter. By beading I do not mean a hem, for I do not desire to have any upwardly-facing shoulder at the edges of the body H].

In use, with the ties 38 untied and the elements 35 and 36 separated, the user slips his toe or the toe portion of his footwear into the hollow defined by the parts 29 and 2| and with the shank strap beneath his foot or footwear, then secures the heel strap 19 in place'and ties the ties 38.

It is now apparent that there are no shoulders, ridges or the like to catch and retain liquids dropping upon the protector or covering and the enlarging in thickness of the material of the toe portion I5 over the other portions of the body I0, not only reinforces the toe portion which is subjected to most wear but there is less tendancy of the toe portion to spring off the toe portion of his foot or footwear ashas been found to be the case when the user swings his foot backwardly 4 along a surface, as the floor, and the toe portion is not of substantial thickness.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claim.

What is claimed is:

A foot and footwear covering including a onepiece flexible body of plastic material having a toe portion comprising an upper part and a lower part joined thereto, a second portion extending from the upper part and sides of the toe portion and having a pair of lower edges and a pair of upwardly'extending rear edges, and an anklecovering portion extending upwardly from the toe portion and second portion and having a pair of rear edges joining the first-named rear edges, and an upper edge joining the second-named rear edges, the thickness of the material forming said second portion and the thickness of the material at the lower part of said toe portion being greater than the thickness of the material at said upper part of said toe portion, rounded beading extending along all of said edges and being integral with said body, the entire surfaces of said mater'ialbeing imperforate and smooth above and inwardly of said beading, whereby said covering above and inwardly of said beading is free of bulges, depressions and openings which tend to collect and retain liquids, means to secure said rear edges together adjacent said bottom edges, detachable means to secure said rear edges together adjacent said upper edge, and a strap extending from one bottom edge to the other bottom edge and disposed between said toe portion and said rear edges.

ARTHUR ELMO VVINSLOW.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,792,539 Huntman et al. Feb. 17, 1931 1,871,576 Argard Aug. 16, 1932 2,108,656 Noronha Feb. 15, 1938 2,254,685 Jackson Sept. 2, 1941 2,434,331 Miller et a1 Jan. 13, 1948 2,465,911 Morgan Mar. 29, 1949 

